Locomotive air-brake



NmModell) Patented Oct. ll, I898. W. P. ALTER.

LOCOMOTIVE AIR BRAKE.

(Applieation filed Dec. 6, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PARKS ALTER, OF DENNISON, OHIO.

LOCOMOTIVEl AIR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 612,149, dated October11, 1898.

' Application filed December 6, 1897. Serial No. 660,906. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that LWILLIAM PARKS ALTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dennison, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LocomotiveAir-Brakes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to locomotive air-brake devices and piping systems,and has for its object the production of an improved engineersbrake-valve and additional connections between the essential elements ofan air-brake system, borne upon a locomotive, by means of which theengine-brakes may be manipu-- lated independently of those uponsucceeding cars to which the train-pipe is operatively coupled.

My invention consists in providing the rotary valve of the brake-valvewith certain cavities and its seat with a port leading through thevalve-casing and connected by pipes with the exhaust-port. of the triplevalve, enabling pressure to be applied to the engine brakecylinder byway of the avenues of the triple valve ordinarily employed to open thatcylinder to the atmosphere. To the customary indicated operatingpositions of the engineers brake-valve lever I add a new-position orengine service demarcation, and upon moving the lever into the newposition air from the main reservoir is admitted to the enginebrake-cylinder only, no demand being made upon the auxiliary reservoir,as in the regular service application of the trainbrakes. Release ofengine-brakes set as described is effected by turning the lever into theproper position while running. A suitable pressure reducing valvemechanism is introduced between triple valve and brakecylinder.

Each constituent element of my invention is described in detail and itsindividual office, together with the mode of operation of the whole,hereinafter fully explained.

Like numerals are employed to designate the same parts throughout theaccompanying drawings, whereof Figure 1 represents a side View of allthe devices save the engineers brake-valve, a top view of across-section of which is shown. Fig. 2 is a plan of the rotary-valveface. As any clear explanation of myinvention necessitates that all theparts and connections concerned be shown in one view, the first figureis introduced; but owing to space limitations and to the fact thatcertain essential elements are proportionately very small it has beenfound impracticable to preserve a single scale of drawing and the truerelative positions of the parts. For example, the brake-valve isrepresented as enlarged and the sectionized portion turned toward theobserver to exhibit the valve-seat in full with the port added by me inits proper place. Further increase in the scale is adopted for thesecond figure, with theintention of setting out plainly the contour andsituation preferred for the new cavities in the rotary-valve face. Figs.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are explanatory diagrams indicating thevalve-cavities and seat-ports in their various conjunctionscorresponding to the different stations of the valve-lever.

I have illustrated and described my invention as forming part of theVestinghouse airbrake system, but do not limit myself to any particularapparatus.

Upon the drawings in Fig. 1 numeral 1 marks the enginebrakecylinder,connected by pipe 2, including a pressure-reducing valve3, with the triple valve 4. From the triple valve pipe 5 leads totrain-pipe 6 and pipe 7 to auxiliary reservoir 8. All the parts sonumbered are of the customary construction and operation, thereducing-valve 3 being of the general character of that denominated aregulatingvalve and shown in detail in Fig. 2 and fully described inUnited States Patent No. 557,463, dated March 31, 1896, granted to G.Westinghouse, Jry Train-pipe 6 joins the engineers brake-valve 9, whichhas a circular valve-seat 10, possessing the port 11, extended by groove12, the port 11, leading to atmosphere, port 13, leading to thetrain-pipe, cavity 14, and the remaining smaller ports required to carryout the regular operations of the air-brake system. In addition to theusual ports I have provided a new opening 15 between port 11 and cavitygroove 21, number 22 designating the larger and 23 the smaller cavity;Both are'of a similar oblong shape with parallel sides and rounded ends,and median lines drawn join ing the ends of each interiorly would formportions of the same circumference described from the center of thevalve-face." While the preferred form of the new cavitiesis shown in thedrawings I- do not lir'nit'my'self solely thereto, and itis believed*to'be"within the scope of-my invention to change the location of thesecaVitiesQifdeSired.

Considering explanatory diagram Fig. 3, it

will be seen'that at full release cavity 22 joins "new port 15'with port11-, enabling the triple valve 5 to erlhaust the brake-cylinder throughthe engineers valve instead of-directlytoair.-* A M Fig. 4 shows the fnew or engine-service position fixed, usually, next in order'from therelease position. Air from themain reservoir is'now admitted, by way ofport-20 in rotary valve, cavity 14 in its seat, cavity 22 in'valve, andnew port 15in seat,triple valve,and reducing-v'alve,tobrake-cylin deron'the-locomotive, into which it is delivered at a pressure'dependingupon the adjustment of the reducing-valve'8, and'the engine brakesonly-are set. New cavity 22'is intentionally restricted in size in orderthat'the brakes'may be operated without undue rapidity or shock inbringinga slowly-moving engine or train to a standstillwith the leastpossible expenditure of air. Shoulditbe expedient to holdthe brakes on,the needed pressure will be maintained beyond ordinary leakagebythefamiliar action of the reducing-valve.

Fig. 5 indicates the running position of the parts, the charge in thebrake-cylinder In addition to the usual cavities I have I provided twonew ones between port 20 and passing to atmosphere by way of new port15, cavity-23, and port 11, all of the engineers valve. It is to benoted-that the valve-lever may be quickly moved from release to runningposition without materially affecting the engine-brakes.

- Figs. 6,7, and 8 point out the positions of the cavities and ports onlap and in makingthe regular service application and emergencyapplication of the entire brake system. No meeting between the new portand cavities takes place in either of these positions'andno-interference with the regular operation of the system occurs, theengine- 'brak'es acting with the train-brakes in the ordinary manner andthe changes in operation relating only to therelease of the former,

as'stated. Having thus described my invention, what suitably connectedwith said devices and providedwith an additional portinits-seat openingthrough the casing of'said valve, a pipe connecting said opening withthe exhaustport of the triplevalve, the rotary or valve portion'of saidengineers valve having additional cavities 22 and 23, substantially asdescribed.

2-. In a locomotive air-brake, the combination with a brake-cylinder,triple valve and auxiliary reservoir,- of an engineers valve suitablyconnected with said devices and provided with anadditi'onal port in itsseat opening through the casing of said valve, apipe connecting saidopening with the exhaustport of the triple valve, the rotary or valveportion of said engineers valve having additional cavities 22 and 28,and a pressure-reducingvalve introduced between said triple valve andbrake-cylinder,substantially as described. {In testimony in presence 1-.lna locomotive air-brake, the combina- 'tion with a brake-cylinder,triple valve and auxiliary reservoir, of an engineersvalve

